


Rooftop Therapy

by Silverheart



Series: Bats and Birds [3]
Category: Batman: Arkham Asylum (Video Games)
Genre: A Matter of Family, Comfort, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-31
Updated: 2015-07-31
Packaged: 2018-04-12 07:53:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4471301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverheart/pseuds/Silverheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A long time ago, Bruce had told Barbara not to ever ask herself ‘what if?’ He’d said, in the serious way of his, that they needed to stay saner than the criminals they hunt. </p>
<p>This time, though, she couldn’t help it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rooftop Therapy

**Author's Note:**

> Set within a week of 'A Matter of Family'

A long time ago- or maybe not so long, a little over a year, now, wasn’t it?—Bruce had told Barbara not to ever ask herself ‘what if?’ He’d said, in the serious way of his, that they needed to stay saner than the criminals they hunt.

This time, though, she couldn’t help it. She sighed and resettled against the wall. She should be on patrol, now reliving Seagate, over and over again….

She heard Tim before she saw him, which meant he was concerned. She smiled to herself a little. She should go back on patrol. 

He dropped down to sit beside her. “You doing okay?”

“Yeah. Just taking a break.”

“Uh-huh. And I’ve got a bridge to sell you.”

She shut her eyes and leaned her head against the wall. “Let it go, Tim.”

“You can talk to me, Barb. Whatever you’re thinking, I’ve thought it, too. We all have.”

She turned away. “It’s my problem. I’ll deal with it.”

He touched her shoulder in comfort. “You don’t have to.”

As he made to withdraw, Barb snatched his hand and held it on her shoulder, all impulse. “I can’t stop thinking about what might have happened.”

“Ah.” He shifted so he was holding her hand. “You already got the speech, I’m sure.”

She stared at their entwined fingers. She used to swear she hated his guts, when she’d started this. “I keep going over every step I took, every action and reaction, seeing all that could have gone wrong.” She tightened her grip involuntarily. She remembered what happened to Jason. “So very, very wrong.”

“The important thing is that it didn’t.”

“But what if it had? What if something like that happens again and it does go wrong?”

“Then you figure out what happened and you don’t do it that way again. And you keep doing the best you can.” 

“I think that was in the speech.”

“Hmm. Probably.”

She stared up at the sky. The lights of the city were always too bright to see the stars. It was just a big blackness above them, limitless and limiting at once. “I have nightmares about it. I see him just taking that gun out and…”

“Shooting your dad.”

She nodded. “Or you.” She remembered, vividly, that old video of Jason Todd. “If I had been too slow, or he had been faster, you’d be dead.” She let go of his hand, folding her arms over her knees like someone much younger. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey.” He gripped her by both shoulders, pulling her to face him. They found themselves blinking right at each other. “If it helps,” he said, quietly, “I keep imagining him just shooting _you_.”

“It doesn’t help.”

He shrugged. “I’m an amateur at this therapy stuff.”

And then he kissed her. She froze in shock for a second, then grabbed him by the collar to pull him closer, enjoying the surprised noise he made. He wrapped himself around her, his touch gentle and intense all at once, the scent of him and the beat of his heart her whole world.

He pulled away eventually and blinked dazedly at her. She stared right back, not letting go. “Well, “she managed, “I think you’re learning pretty quick.”

He laughed, resting his forehead against hers. “The boss always did say I was a quick study.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re always so—“ His lips on hers stifled the rest of the sentence.

When he drew back, she let him, though he didn’t let go of her. “We should get back to patrol.”

“Yeah. Yeah, we should.” They moved apart slowly and stood up. “I’ve got your back.”

“And I’ve got yours.”


End file.
